Fox News Co-President Bill Shine Resigns

Incidents of alleged sexual harassment by Bill O'Reilly, chronicled in a New York Times report last month, occurred before Shine was elevated to co-president.

Shine began his career at Fox News Channel as a producer of "Hannity & Colmes" when the network launched in October 1996.

His departure is sure to roil some of Fox News's most recognisable stars, with whom Mr Shine had close relationships.

In this April 24, 2017 photo, Fox News co-president Bill Shine, right, leaves a NY restaurant with Rupert Murdoch, second from right, the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox.

Shine was also named in former Fox News personality Andrea Tantaros'lawsuit against network executives, which claimed that Fox News "operated like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult", according to THR.

"Through a FOX News spokesperson, Suzanne Scott said she never asked any women at Fox News - on-air or off - to support Roger Ailes".

Shine has been named in a number of lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct at the company, and was blamed for not doing more to prevent it. Last month, after the New York Timesreported that five women had received $13 million in settlements following harassment allegations against Bill O'Reilly, the host was also pushed out during a high-profile advertiser boycott.

Other new appointments include that of Brian Jones, EVP of Fox Business Network as president of the business channel, reporting to Scott and Wallace. On Monday, a Fox News contributor said in a lawsuit that she was taken off the air after writing an article about a medical condition that would likely leave her infertile. Prior to that, Shine oversaw all opinion programming and production as an Executive Vice President. Host Sean Hannity defended the executive over the weekend, tweeting that Fox News without Shine would be "the total end of the FNC as we know it".

"We will all miss him", Rupert Murdoch, chairman of Fox's parent company, said in an emailed memo to employees.

Falzone's suit is the 15th alleging race- or gender-based discrimination or harassment at the network, according to NY magazine's Gabriel Sherman, who broke the news of Shine's exit.

One might expect Fox News to be having a terrific and positive year, with Republicans in control of a unified federal government.

In the email (which was followed up by a longer statement), Murdoch wrote that "Sadly, Bill Shineresigned today".

Fox's ratings have remained sky-high recently even as the network has been beset by scandals and personnel problems.